Peer Play in Early Childhood

Theories of Peer Play

For young children, play with peers represents a dynamic developmental context in which competence [Page 813]emerges. Peer play is a distinct form of play and comprises spontaneous child-initiated and child-selected activities rather than teacher-directed activities. Within this context, children learn to meet new cognitive, motor, and social/emotional challenges through their unstructured interactions with peers. Successful negotiation of this developmental task requires that children coordinate multiple competencies across developmental areas, such as the emotional, cognitive, behavioral, and language domains (National Association for the Education of Young Children, 1996).

A number of theoretical frameworks underscore the value of peer play for child development. Piaget and Vygotsky contributed two theories of child development that provide a conceptual framework for understanding the unique contributions of early peer play experiences. According to Piaget (1962), children gain knowledge about the world through play and incorporate that information into existing cognitive structures. Piaget proposed that children progress from “practice play” (which consists of individual sensorimotor activities), to “symbolic play” (in which they acquire the use of symbols and experience make-believe), and, finally, to “play with rules” (during which they learn to regulate social interactions with peers). As children engage in these increasingly complex activities, they adjust their existing worldviews to incorporate newly acquired information. Piaget also believed that peer interactions during play provide children with opportunities to further develop higher-level cognitive skills. Children develop perspective-taking abilities, for example, when they argue or express different viewpoints. According to Piaget, cognitive development occurs not through the medium of play itself, but through the enhancement of specific skills during peer interactions in play.

Vygotsky's theory of development (1978) has received increasing support because of its emphasis on the social and cultural aspects of play. He proposed that children's competencies are affected by the cultural practices and beliefs conveyed through social interactions and communication. Specifically, through interactions with more knowledgeable peers, children learn about cultural norms. Vygotsky asserted that play consists of imaginary situations and rules for behavior. When engaging in pretend play, children must work together to develop rules to govern the activity. Through pretend play with their peers, children are provided with opportunities to learn implicit rules of social behavior, according to their cultural group's norms. Vygotsky also theorized about the “zone of proximal development,” which refers to both children's individual abilities to accomplish and create as well as their capabilities to grow and extend when confronted with the ideas of older and wiser peers. Therefore, he considered peer play the “source of development” during early childhood (rather than just a conduit of development), because it enables children to internalize social rules, acquire cognitive processes, and advance their competencies.

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